Europe

30 African migrants overcome high border fence, reach Spain

Associated Press
Published | Updated

A group of migrants eat a hot meal as they rest aboard the 'Aquarius' rescue ship in the Mediterranean Sea Saturday June 25, 2016, as more than 600 migrants are aboard the ship rescued by SOS Mediterranee and the medical aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). The organizations cooperate during search and rescue operations for migrants and refugees from boats in distress in the Mediterranean Sea. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) (The Associated Press)

A migrant eats a hot meal as they rest aboard the 'Aquarius' rescue ship in the Mediterranean Sea Saturday June 25, 2016, as more than 600 migrants are aboard the ship rescued by SOS Mediterranee and the medical aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). The organizations cooperate during search and rescue operations for migrants and refugees from boats in distress in the Mediterranean Sea. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) (The Associated Press)

Migrants look out from the 'Aquarius' rescue vessel in the Mediterranean Sea Saturday June 25, 2016, as more than 600 migrants are aboard the ship rescued by SOS Mediterranee and the medical aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). The organizations cooperate during search and rescue operations for migrants and refugees from boats in distress in the Mediterranean Sea. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) (The Associated Press)

Up to 30 migrants from Africa have reached the Spanish border town of Melilla after climbing the fence that separates the European country from neighboring Morocco in North Africa.

The ones that made it all the way to the local immigrant center on Sunday chanted "Victory!" Up to 90 other migrants were unable to get over the high fence and were returned to Morocco by Spanish authorities.

Along with Ceuta, another Spanish enclave surrounded by Morocco, Melilla is often the scene of desperate migrant arrivals from regions south of the Sahara desert.

The Spanish government reinforced its border patrols in 2016, after thousands were able to reach European soil in previous years, either by swimming along the coast to the enclaves or by climbing the border fence.